Global singer Shakira was moved to tears on Tuesday as she was honored with a giant bronze statue, measuring 6.4 meters in height and weighing 6 tons, sculpted by renowned Colombian artist Yino Márques. The singer's tears flowed as she saw the statue erected in her birthplace, Barranquilla, located in northern Colombia by the Caribbean Sea.
Shakira shared photos of the statue on her Instagram account, mentioning that the sculptor drew inspiration from a dance she performed in 2015 when she sang "Hips Don't Lie" in that year's album. She also posted pictures of her Lebanese-origin father, William Mebarak Chadid, alongside her Colombian mother, Nidia Ripoll Torrado, standing in front of the statue with the city's mayor. She captioned one of the pictures: "I am happy to share this moment with my parents, especially my mother on her birthday."
In an interview with a local media outlet, Shakira expressed: "It is impossible to know the extent of what my fans have meant to my artistic journey; they understood me better than anyone else and brought me to where I am today with their unwavering support." She also emphasized that "Colombia has been an endless source of inspiration for my career."
